Random inorganic networks: a novel class of high-performance ceramics

Abstract

The preparation of amorphous inorganic networks in the system Si/B/N/C, starting from molecular single source precursors, results in high performance ceramics with outstanding and unprecedented high temperature and mechanical properties. Different ways of incorporating carbon into the final ceramics are described and new single source precursors presented. The local structure and intermediate range order in these amorphous inorganic networks are studied using conventional multinuclear 11B, 13C and 29Si magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR and advanced double resonance techniques such as 29Si-{11B} rotational echo adiabatic passage double resonance (REAPDOR), 13C-{11B} REAPDOR or 11B-{29Si} rotational echo double resonance (REDOR) NMR spectroscopy.